MAM

Coca-Cola aims to increase juice production with new manufacturing facility

BANGALORE: Coca-Cola India has a new juice manufacturing facility at Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Brindavan Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Coca-Cola's franchisee bottler, has invested Rs 400 million in the project to meet the rapidly growing demand for the juice brand Maaza in North, East, Central India and Western India.

Coca-Cola India has provided technical inputs and support to set up the new line and will continue to provide support for marketing and training to Brindavan Beverages Pvt Ltd. The new line will have the capacity to produce close to 2,50,000 litres of juice products per day in a array of pack sizes ranging from 65ml tetra-packs to 1.2 ltr bottles. This new production facility will help to strengthen the Company's leadership position as the largest mango pulp buyer in the country with annual consumption of 17,000 tonnes, states a company release.

The new plant has been set up using modern technology imported from Krones Germany and Tetrapack Sweden and will produce both Pet bottles and tetra packs.

Speaking on the occasion, Coca-Cola India president & CEO Sanjiv Gupta said, "The juice drink market in India is growing at an exponential pace and we as leaders are expanding the market to provide our discerning consumers with innovative packaging and flavours of Maaza. We are planning to increase penetration of brand Maaza in 750 towns across India with new flavour extensions." He added, "I am pleased that Brindavan Beverages Pvt Ltd has become the first Coca-Cola franchisee to have a state-of-the-art facility to produce juice drinks."

Brindavan Beverages Pvt Ltd MD SN Ladhani said, "We have invested approximately Rs 2 billion in Bareilly itself over the last five years and the Ladhani Group has invested close to Rs 600 crores across five locations in Uttar Pradesh, creating prosperity and employment opportunities for thousands in the state."

Over the years, Maaza has grown to become the market leader in the juice drink category. Now the Company is expanding the brand Maaza to include exciting flavours like pineapple and orange. Consumers regard Maaza as wholesome, natural, fun drink which delivers the real experience of fruit, adds the news release.